


Return

by Alycoris



Category: Tales of the Abyss
Genre: Gen, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-09-08
Updated: 2011-09-08
Packaged: 2017-10-23 13:20:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,674
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/250734
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alycoris/pseuds/Alycoris
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>No matter what he did, there would always be a second thought; a niggling feeling in the back of his mind telling him something otherwise.</p><p>Because he was both.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Return

They were different now.

He, being Luke- no, not quite. He was Asch too. He… just what was he?

They were the product of Lorelei's efforts to fulfill a promise. The fragments that he had managed to gather and piece, so to speak. He was… both of them.

It was an uncomfortable feeling.

He was like a patchwork quilt made from both of them, with pieces he couldn't identify, yet seemed so familiar. Sometimes, he'd look at his reflection and recall that his hair was neither as dark as Asch's, or light as Luke's. He'd spend half the time sorting his thoughts, because there seemed to be an endless amount of them- they were everywhere, about everything, about how new, yet nostalgic the world felt under his touch.

No matter what he did, there would always be a second thought, a niggling feeling in the back of his mind telling him something otherwise.

Because he was both.

He was both 'Asch' and 'Luke'.

Luke's happiness to Asch's sorrow. His blitheness to his prudence.

In other words, a complete mess.

\---

They found it hard to say 'I', since he was neither enough of just one, but both. They only argued at first. Argued on who would do what, what they would want to do, who would be in control… eventually, they came to terms with each other. Asch would always call Luke stupid, Luke would always laugh at him with a carefree innocence that came as a nostalgic feeling to Asch, something that he had lost long ago. Ash would always yell at Luke for doing something foolish, but would eventually forgive himself, if it made sense.

Luke was Asch now, but even so, they were two different people.

It was strange. Luke and Asch, would always bicker and argue. Their body seemed two small to host two people who were almost completely different. Almost. Luke was his perfect isofon, but not a copy of his individual.

If there was something that both liked, it would be smell of sea salt and the full bloom of the selenias at night, the cold sting of freezing water rushing through their body, the sound of the shore and the warmth of the sun, and the smooth caress of balmy wind fluttering through their hair.

They also liked to remember things.

\---

As time passes, they remember more pieces, but they experience bittersweet melancholy more than anything else, and it begins to hurt.

They remember the blank faces of people they seen, but they can't place their fingers on it. For both of them, they recall a promise. A promise they can't quite remember, something that leaves a bittersweet taste in their mouth as they try harder to remember.

They remember when they were separate, but imagining something like that now seems foreign. They've grown used to keeping each other's company, even if the whole ordeal is forced upon them.

Luke likes staring into his reflection and imagining Asch is there. He imagines his darker hued hair and solemn, but mostly angry face and recalls the foggy memory as Asch yells at him, calling him a 'dreck'. He's forgotten, and Asch won't tell him what it means.

He picks the tightly budded selenias and weaves them into a crown as he recalls another far off, distant memory, and puts it onto Asch's head with a awkward smile.

He always forgets that Asch isn't really 'there' with him, and is brought back into rude reality as the crown drops into the water with a quiet splash.

Asch, who often points out that he's older and knows better, doesn't know what to say at these moments.

\---

Their red hair is long and flowing. It's always been the same for Asch, but Luke complains, and says it feels heavy and weighs him down and likes it better short. Asch sharply insists to keep it the way it is, and Luke consents, feeling hopeful that Asch will like him better if he does as he says.

It goes both ways.

Asch always complains on the idiotic things Luke does, and Luke excuses himself, saying he can't help it because everything feels so new and fresh, from the tickle of the sea breeze to the warmth of Hod's weatherworn stone.

They both stare at the sky at night, and watch the glow of the fonon belt. Luke finds it fun stay up to name stars, while Asch thinks they are better off sleeping in preparation for tomorrow.

Both are unsure for what tomorrow may bring.

\---

Everything feels sickeningly new, and sometimes both are plagued by inconsolable regret. Luke remembers beige, almost gray hair flowing through the wind at night, and is embarrassed he can't remember her face. Asch is the same way- he remembers strawberry blonde hair fluttering in the sunset with a hand outstretched towards him, and the warmth of a lost promise made so very long ago.

They are ashamed.

When Luke is tired of moping, he tries counting all the clouds in the sky. Asch withdraws and passively watches, drowsing in the gentle sunlight.

Remembering isn't fun anymore.

\---

Asch feels hidden, forgotten by the outside world, but Luke refuses to leave him alone regardless of what he says.

"You're with me now. We're together." He says aloud, addressing Asch despite the fact he is not tangibly there, but he's listening from his corner of their mind nonetheless. "You're always so angry. Did I do something wrong?"

"No," Asch says with their mouth. It feels strange, because he's grown so used to staying in the back and letting Luke do whatever he wants, although he voices an argument whenever Luke tries pulling a stupid stunt. He'd rather not talk at all, but he does it to remind Luke that he's not the only one, and partly because he forgets what he sounds like. Everything is hazy. He is grateful to Lorelei, but sometimes he wishes that he were just-

"No!" Luke assumes control, and yells in defiance. He's scared, and the thought drops into the sea of their mind like a single coin, causing a ripple effect. Luke's shivering at the thought of being alone, the thought of his other half suddenly not being there.

"Shut up!" Asch snaps, clenching an empty hand to vent his frustration. He feels guilty. All he wants to do is sleep, but the dreck won't let him.

"We can make this work," He pleads, sounding desperate. Asch feels too tired to listen. "Besides, you still have a promise to keep." He reasons, trying to hide his fear, but Asch sees right through him as he saunters to the depths of their mind.

Asch snorts, and thinks of Luke as a hypocrite. After all, neither can remember exactly what that promise was.

"You've been so alone for such a long time," He admits sheepishly, after stay quiet for a long time. Asch grimaces at the thought of Luke digging and picking through the scraps of what memories he can gather.

"Shut up."

"It's always some variation of 'Shut it', 'You're being stupid', or 'Dreck'." Luke snaps in a frustrated way, before calming down. "Don't you think it's time you finally put that bitterness aside? Please?"

Silence is Asch's answer.

\---

Sometimes, Asch wonders where Luke hides when he mopes. Asch makes himself hidden, but makes it apparent to Luke that he's never really gone. When Luke decides to hide, it feels as though their body is too big for just himself. He walks their body into a ruined room with cracked ceiling, and lies down, waiting for night to fall.

Once night falls, Luke begins naming off the stars as he points their left arm at the sky. Uiem, Noi, Edaj… they're elaborate enough to the point Asch wonders where Luke comes up with it. Finally, he points their hand at the moon, and says, "Asch."

He is the Moon to Luke's Sun. At least, that's the way Luke put it once. Without each other, the sky seems too empty, and the sky in this case is their body.

"…But the sun and moon can never appear at the same time." He grumbles thoughtfully, hearing a snicker, then a comforting thought from the back of their mind.

 _We can make this work._

"Hmph." Asch sniffs indignantly and sneezes a moment afterwards. He can hear Luke's hopeful laughter resounding in the back of his mind.

\---

A hymn, familiar and nostalgic, draws them closer to a group of people at the end of the selenia field. Blossoms spring and flutter gently as the wind clears a path to the people on the other side. Luke is scared, so Asch takes the lead. He walks them closer to the group of people, but stops a good distance away. A woman approaches them, with her eyes wide with shock.

"Is it really you…?" She asks, looking hopeful and bright-eyed. Asch doesn't know who's she addressing, nor does he know what to say. He falters, and looks to the side briefly as Luke finally decides to speak up.

"There's a nice view of Hod here," He murmurs absentmindedly. The others draw near with looks of hope engraved onto their faces, and Asch silently wonders if they're going to experience nothing but disappointment when they find out what they are now, but Luke chides him.

 _Everything will be okay. You can feel it too, can't you?_

Asch is uncertain.

Luke breaks into laughter as he is tackled onto the ground and the selenias sweep into Hod's cool, evening air. This feeling is new, but it isn't unwelcome. It's tender, nostalgic like Lorelei's warm embrace.

In the midst of smiles, laughter, and tears, Asch can't help but feel a bit of that bittersweet happiness as a familiar pair of emerald eyes meet his, from where he and Luke are laying from the ground. A small, gloved hand reaches towards him- him, not Luke, and smiles kindly.

"Welcome back."

For the first time since their rebirth, both of them smile as he takes up her hand.


End file.
